


No More Hiding

by gaytriforce



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Angst, Apologies, Crushes, Draco doesn’t give a fuck, Emotions, Falling In Love, Fights, Fluff, Happy times, M/M, Rebelling, Rebellious Teen, and sad times, drunk teens, fuck you attitude, hair dying, helping drunk people, realising the stakes of war, reconsilliation, wow gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-09 01:59:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17992700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaytriforce/pseuds/gaytriforce
Summary: Draco Malfoy has finally decided to be done with his undesirable parts of life. He’s going to die anyways, so why not go out with a bang?What happens when Draco decides to rebel against his parents and all they stand for.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I know, you’re saying, “finish your two unfinished fics before you start a new one! Nooo!” I promise I’m getting there. Anyways, here’s this. It comes from a tumblr prompt that I cannot seem to find the OP of. If you know of this post, please tell me who the author is so I can give proper credit! Enjoy!

He was so done.

All the mixed emotions that caused his war with himself had finally leveled out. He knew how he felt now. There were too many times that he looked at Potter’s emerald eyes and thought about how they would be complimented by a Slytherin green romper.

There were too many times that he winced after insulting Hufflepuffs who did nothing to him, or that he cringed at watching Greg and Vince cause a first year to cry from being held in a headlock.

He was going to die one way or another, so he might as well go out with a bang.

That was why Draco sat in the toilets of the Slytherin dorms, carefully reading his transfiguration notes. He just had to do this right, or he might end up with something crazier than he was going for.

After a few failures and a self pep talk, Draco was finally admiring his new bright blue hair. He thought it would definitely piss some people off, but it still needed something. And that’s when he had an even better idea.

Draco’d been outside wizard London a few times with his father, but never by himself. He took the floo closest to where he needed to go, had a perplexed experience with a map, and eventually ended up looking at the sign of a muggle barber shop.

He was told to sit in some sort of odd chair, made of metal? And leather? It was an overall confusing experience, but he tried to act as though it was nothing out of the ordinary for him, as not to draw attention to himself.

Draco tried not to feel suffocated when a muggle man in an apron put some sort of fabric around him that fastened at the back of his neck. The man’s hair was shaved, with a mess of hair on the top, and Draco decided he wanted to do something similar.

“Hey, how are you? I’m Josh, I’ll be cutting your hair today. We get mainly regulars around here, so it’s nice to see someone new. And what you’ve got going on here is super cool. It’s so vibrant, but you don’t seem to have any dye marks on your scalp. Did you do this yourself?”

Draco snapped out of his stupor at how much this man talked. “Uh, yes. I did this.” The barber- Josh? What an odd name. “It’s really cool, man. You can’t be very old. Your folks know about this?” Draco puffed out his chest a bit in pride of his rebellion. “Not yet. And I’m sixteen, by the way.”

Josh whistled. “Hopefully I can take some of it off for you and they won’t be as upset when they find out.” He laughed easily, and Draco blushed a bit. He only had eyes for Potter, stupid attractive git, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t admire the good looks of twenty-something year old men.

“Hopefully it’ll make them more mad. That’s kinda what I’m going for.” Josh laughed again. “So, what are you looking for here? Standard cut is twenty, but I have a feeling you’ll need a little more time, so it’ll probably be around thirty.”

Draco froze. Muggle money. He’d forgotten all about it! He’d heard some of the Slytherin muggleborns- rare, but they did exist, talking about how expensive their Christmas gifts would be. He believed that their currency was called pends? He continued to try to act normal.

“Yes, thirty would be fine. Excellent. Thirty gal- pends. Thirty pends is what I will be spending.” Josh eyed him suspiciously. “Thirty pounds. No cents.” Shit. He was wrong. “Yes, of course, is that not what I said?” He was sweating. Oh no.

Josh chuckled and shook his head. “Were you planning on spending galleons? Or sickles?” Draco was speechless. Was this not a muggle barber shop? He tried to laugh it off nervously. “I don’t, uh” Josh smiled again. “Skipping class at Hogwarts, are you? It’s not every day I see a young wizard at work.”

Draco was terrified. Was this man working for his father? He would be slaughtered if his father knew he was in a muggle establishment 

“Don’t be scared, kid. No one can hear us. Im a squib. I live the muggle life. My wife is a muggle. She’s expecting our first, due pretty soon, actually.”

Draco was still trying to comprehend all the information he had just taken in. “So, you’re not going to turn me in for sneaking out of school to make my parents mad?” Josh laughed. “Of course not. And this is on the house. Not that you’d really have any methods of payment.”

Draco tried to hide the sheepish look on his face. “Now, let’s get to your hair. I have an idea that’ll look good with your face shape and might piss your parents off, if you’ll trust me.”

Normally, Draco wouldn’t have wanted someone else choosing what would happen to his hair, but in the spirit of rebellion, he nodded. Josh pulled out some sort of metallic object that Draco was desperately trying to hide his fascination with, and put it to the back of Draco’s head.

—————————————————————

Draco smirked at his appearance one more time. Vince and Greg’s jaws had dropped so far to the floor when they’d seen him, Draco decided to make a snarky comment that would hopefully be one of his last to the sadistic duo.

“Close your mouths, cronies. The flys’ll get in.”

He strolled into the great hall, perfectly at ease. The giant room went almost silent when he walked in sight. He had decided to be fashionably late to lunch, hoping he’d be one of the last to walk in so he could make a grand entrance. 

In the past few months, he hadn’t had a particular liking to attention, far from his cries to be the center of everything in first year. He’d taken to sitting with Pansy and Blaise at mealtime anyways recently, so he nonchalantly walked up to the Slytherin table and sandwiched himself between them.

“Pudding, please, Blaise.” He spoke, casual as ever. Blaise did not pass the pudding. He only stared at Draco’s vibrantly blue hair, completed with a shaved side that faded into the longer top. 

Draco only smiled and looked around the room to gage the various reactions. The professors’ table was definitely a favorite, with Professor Flitwick’s eyes bulging out of his head. McGonagall’s reaction actually surprised him. He was sure she’d look at him with silent distain, and she did, but something about that twinkle in her eye made him believe she actually approved of the change.

He finally brought himself to turn his head to the Gryffindor table, where some quiet chatter had resumed, undoubtedly about his hair. Weasley’s mouth was open, eyes wide with a hint of disgust as well as silent respect, both competing for their fair share.

Granger looked eerily like McGonagall, their noses upturned in the exact same way, and her eyes held the same twinkle of joy that told him she was happy for his rebellion. He cracked a half smile in her direction, which turned into a full laugh when he watched her gently close Weasley’s mouth.

But Potter, he was the shining gem of all the shocked faces. His eyebrows seemed to be permanently raised, with his mouth opened in a tiny O. He was flushed, face red at the sight of Draco. Draco decided that was a good thing. He sent a tiny wave in their direction, and turned back to his table with a flourish.


	2. Chapter Two

Draco walked into double potions, purposefully late to piss Snape off. He’d really been having fun with his rebellious attitude recently. He hadn’t thought that maybe some good would come of it for others, but keeping his racist friends off innocent people and just generally treating other people well made him feel pretty good about himself.

He’d realized how much he’d really begun to change when Greg and Vince had been sneering over a Hufflepuff fourth year who he knew was muggleborn based on their comments. They were using every horrid, nasty slur in the book.

The girl had been holding her ground pretty well, but Draco caught sight of her worrying her bottom lip and her eyes welling up, so he decided to intervene. 

“Goyle! Crabbe! Who’s your friend?” He said with fake cheer to confuse them. “This little abomination is just someone we’re setting straight. And you ought to be set straight too, Draco. No one decent knows what’s up with you lately but you’d better figure it out. Before we do.” Goyle said, a sneer on Crabbe’s face in the background.

Draco snorted audibly. “What kind of empty threat is that? You know as well as anyone that you can’t touch a blue, shaved hair on my head. And that extends to...” he looked to the fourth year for her name. “Annabelle.” She spoke, voice filled with pride, but Draco could sense a waver if uncertainty in the background.

“Right. Annabelle. I like Anna better. I think I’ll call you Anna. So you pricks better sod off, and stay away from my new friend here.” Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be trying to figure out a way out of this, but ended up just giving Draco disgusted looks and walking away.

As soon as they were gone, Anna tried to shoot Draco a skeptical look, but it crumpled on her face as she finally cried. Draco felt terrible, terrible that he used to help cause this, terrible that he’d never realized how he could be making other people feel.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re in Hufflepuff, right? Why don’t I take you back to your common room? I’ll let your next teacher know you’re not feeling well. Who do you have next?” She nodded and sniffled “Professor McGonagall.”  
Draco nodded and patted her back sympathetically, and started to guide her back near the kitchens.

On their walk, a fourth year Hufflepuff boy ran up to them. “Annabelle? What’s wrong? What did this twit do to you?” He said, bravely trying to seem intimidating, but he was very short and Draco tried not to chuckle. “Is this your friend?” He asked Anna, who had stopped crying, but still had red swollen eyes and was sniffling.

She nodded. “That’s Sam.” He walked closer to her, and started to give her a hug. Draco’s heart seemed to spill over at the obvious affection between the two. “I’m just helping out, kid. Hey, let me know if you need anything else, okay? Are you good from here?” She nodded again, and ignored the confused stare her friend was giving her.

“I’m okay. Thank you... Draco. Really. I appreciate it.” He gave an awkward sort of head nod and smiled at her, also smiling at her friend who was wildly confused at this point, and began to walk away.

Recalling that memory, Draco had been frowning at the behavior of his former friends, but he was now smiling. He had seen the girl and a few of her friends around a few times, and her spunky spirit surprised him. 

With her being a fourth year and him being a sixth, it was possible some of her giggling friends thought he had a crush on her, and he hoped she didn’t develop feelings for him. She was a cool friend to have, but he’d never really been interested in girls. 

He shook his head to clear his thoughts so he could put on a cocky grin as he strode into potions. He’d recently been on time and diligent during all his other classes, not too different from what other people knew of him, but he’d been considerably more invested in the actual learning. His potions grade, however, had taken a large dip.

Walking through the door, Draco made eye contact with Blaise, who mouthed “You’re in for it now.” “You’re late, Mr. Malfoy.” Snape drawled. “I know.” Draco said. Snape raised one eyebrow that said “Don’t test me, boy.” But Draco was more than ready to. “Care to explain why?” Snape droned on. “Nope, actually. I’m pretty good.” Draco replied.

“Very well then. Have a seat, and see me after class.” Draco wracked his brain for some sort of cocky reply to that, and then he thought he’d might as well save anything good he came up with for when he’d have it out with Snape after class, a meeting of which no doubt the whole class would wait outside to listen to. “Oh I will.”

When class was over, Snape called Draco up to the front of the room and the rest of the class quickly filed out, surely about to hide just out of eyesight in the hallway to listen.

“What has gotten into you? Your hair is atrocious, you’re playing buddy-buddy with Hufflepuffs, you’re not yourself. Does this warrant an owl to your father?” Snape’s nostrils flared, showing his black nose hair. Draco shuddered. Gross.

“Guess I’ve just realized who I really want to associate with.” Draco said with a shrug. “Don’t play dumb with me, boy. All those longing looks at Potter? You’re stupid if you think there’s any way that’s going to go anywhere.” 

Draco seethed. He knew Snape was choosing his words selectively, because if he outright stated that Harry was going to die at the hand of the dark lord the aurors would be on him immediately. He couldn’t talk like that inside Hogwarts, so he chose to insinuate, and the look he was giving Draco told him that’s exactly what he meant to do.

Seeing red, Draco said the only thing he could think of, witty comebacks in a cool voice forgotten. “Harry’s more a man than you’ll ever be. Fuck. You.” He swept everything he could see off Snape’s desk in one clean motion, and grabbed his books and stormed out.

Stomping down the corridors brought some sense into Draco, but his normal composed demeanor was still compromised enough for him to bump right into Hermione Granger, causing them both to topple over.

They both made noises of surprise, and Draco surprised Hermione by picking up her books and offering a hand to her, leaving his own things on the floor. “Thank you.” She said cautiously. Though Draco was sure she knew why he was acting how he was, she was still treading lightly around him so as not to make a fool of herself, and the fact that she felt she needed to do that brought him so much shame.

“You’re welcome.” Draco said, awkwardly fidgeting. He knew he should say something, apologize, compliment her, something to work towards making up for years of torture, but he didn’t know what to do. But then he noticed her book. 

“War and Peace? Tolstoy?” Draco said, motioning to a fat book Hermione had been carrying. “Yes, you’re actually right. I wouldn’t take you for a reader of muggle books.” She responded carefully, but slightly looser, possibly due to surprise, but Draco saw it as a small victory.

“I’ve just started it, actually. I thought a few muggle classics were good to start with to, uh, get a good foundation for reading, but it’s actually quite hard to get through.” Hermione laughed at that last bit, though Draco couldn’t miss the knowing gleam in her eye at the blatant lie about why he’d wanted to read muggle books, they both knew it was to anger his parents, but he’d actually really liked some of them.

“Do you think we could sit down sometime and talk about it? The book, I mean. Maybe you could explain some of it to me?” Draco asked, a bit nervous, thinking it was too early to begin trying to build bonds with some of the people who liked him the least.

Hermione suddenly became very awkward. “Are you... asking me out?” Draco was shocked. He hadn’t even thought she might get that impression! “No! No, Merlin, no. Not that you’re not...” He trailed off, causing Granger to raise an eyebrow. Oh no. This was not what he had wanted at all.

“You’re cute. Just not really, my type?” Draco said like it was a question. “Not that I’m interested, but I’m assuming, pure blooded Slytherin girls who will make more pure blooded Slytherin babies?” Draco looked so aghast she actually laughed. “No, okay, Gryffindor boys then.” Draco thought he might faint. She doubled over with laughter at that second reaction.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that out in the hallway like this. But I’m very observant. The looks you give him make it clear.” Draco was shocked she’d figured it out, but he realized he may have been underestimating how she was intelligent in all different ways.

“It’s okay.” He managed to stutter out. “You haven’t told anyone, have you?” He said, panicked look on his face. “No, of course not, and I promise I won’t.” She said seriously. “But I’m willing to give this talking about books thing a shot. How about we go to the Gryffindor common room?” Draco smiled with relief. “That sounds perfect.” He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I appreciate all the support the first chapter got! I’m hoping to get a new chapter of this one up every other day, and my most recent Simon fic should be done within the next couple weeks. My first fic is gonna be just kind of an ongoing, chapter per request thing. I have another Scorbus fic for my series in the works, and that should be out soon! Please please please leave comments! I love to hear from readers! Thank you again for reading and I’ll have another chapter out soon!


	3. Chapter Three

Draco was pulled from talking animatedly with Granger by a sound of disgust coming from in front of him. He’d almost forgotten he was in the Gryffindor common room, he was so engrossed in the conversation. Granger was a very interesting conversationalist when it came to books. 

He looked up to see Weasley and Potter, the former being the one who made the noise. A look of utter confused distaste sat on his face, and Granger turned up her nose at him. Draco’s observant eye told him that they may have had some sort of brawl, and that’s why she was walking alone in the hallway. 

Potter, however, just looked completely flabbergasted, and it was adorably attractive. He didn’t seem particularly suspicious or angry, just confused. Draco had to stop himself from laughing at his bewildered expression.

Weasley was the first to speak. “Honestly Hermione, we have one row and you resort to hanging out with this blue headed prat? What, what’s your excuse? You were just doing potions homework? This twit should get the hell out of our common room and back to the dungeons.”

Potter seemed exasperated, as though this kind of situation was a common occurrence. Granger turned very dark, upset, justifiably. Draco shot a glare at Weasley, who was already hitting him with a scathing look. He avoided saying anything because he knew Granger could fight her own battles.

“If you had the decency to care, you’d have figured out the reason behind Draco’s new hair already. And since you’re avoiding me, you don’t get a damn say in who I hang around. Besides, I invited Draco here to talk about a book we’re both reading, not that it’s any of your business either way. I also don’t need an ‘excuse’ to chat with a friend. Now leave me alone, since you’ve proved you’re right good at it!”

She slammed her book closed and stomped off to the girls’ dormitories. Weasley yelled after her “If you hadn’t been with this arse when I got back, maybe I would’ve apologized!” though Draco was sure he knew she was out of earshot. Mirroring her, he stomped off to his own dorm. Potter looked bored.

Seeming to notice him since the first time he walked in, Potter took a seat next to him on the couch and sighed. “If I weren’t so tired, maybe I’d ask you what you’re actually doing here.” Draco was a tiny bit hurt that he didn’t trust him, but he was honestly expecting a more hostile response. Why should he? Draco had never given Harry one reason to trust him, or even respect him. Draco put off a cheeky comment and decided to try to talk to Potter.

“Like she said, I was just here to talk about a book. I’m serious when I say there was no malicious intent. I helped Granger pick up some books in the hallway, and noticed we were reading one of the same ones. She invited me here to talk about it.”

Harry suddenly looked very miffed. “If you’re trying to go after Hermione, if that’s what this new attitude is all about, I’ll tell you it isn’t going to work. No matter how much they bicker, she and Ron only have eyes for each other.” Draco was annoyed. What was it with everyone thinking he liked Granger? Maybe the part that bothered him was everyone assuming he was straight.

“I’m not interested in her like that. I’m just looking to be her friend. And yours too. And possibly Weasley’s, by association. I really am sorry, Harry. I’ve realized my mistakes. I’m trying to change.” His voice softened as he said that. He looked straight into Harry’s eyes, and Harry stared straight into his.

“That’s the first time you’ve used my first name.” Harry whispered. Draco’s stomach was doing cartwheels. “Yeah, I guess so.” He said, voice soft and full of affection. They were still staring at each other when Dean and Seamus walked in, obviously drunk.

“Man, that rager in the Ravenclaw common room was great!” Dean said loudly, a badly staged conversation in an attempt to get Harry to come to the party. “Guys, I’m not feeling up to it.” Harry said with a chuckle. “Harry! Come with us! We’re taking you away from this twit!” Dean said in a loud whisper that Draco could hear quite clearly. Draco only raised a single eyebrow in reaction.

“Noooo! Dean look! He can raise one broweye! Eyebrow! We should leave them alone. You guys” Seamus said, gesturing largely to Harry and Draco “should fuck” He said in a drunken whisper to them. Dean howled with laughter and dragged Seamus out again.

They looked at each other and burst out in laughter. “How did they even get that drunk?” Harry gasped, looking for air after all that laughing. “I don’t know, but we should probably check to make sure they actually got out of the doorway before the Fat Lady closed it.” Draco said, also gasping with laughter.

They stood up, wiping tears from their eyes, still chuckling, and opened the portrait. Just as Draco had expected, they were collapsed in a pile right outside the doorway. They looked at each other and laughed, before proceeding to wake them up and each half walk/half carry one very drunk boy to the common room, where they put them on the couches.

Draco looked at the clock. “Wow, shit, it’s late. I’ll be going back to my dorm now.” Harry looked slightly disappointed, though he hid it well. “Okay, right. This-“ He said whilst gesturing to the half asleep teenage boys “was fun.” Draco smiled at him. “Agreed.” He held out a hand. “Acquaintances?” Harry took his hand. “Friends.”

Draco gladly shook his hand, fingertips lingering a bit longer then they should’ve, and made the walk back to his dorm. Giddy with happiness and holding three books Granger had given him, he didn’t even notice Blaise smirking from his own bed.

“Have fun with-“ Blaise moaned Harry’s name. “Potter?” Draco tried to look pissed with him, but ended up just grinning. “Shut up, Zabini.” Blaise threw a sock at him. “Well, get on with it then! Tell me what happened.” Draco sat down and relayed the details of the story to his friend while he changed into pyjamas.

Blaise whistled. “That is a lot to unpack. He definitely seems into you, though. You’ll be fucking him by Christmas hols.” Draco chose to ignore that last bit and smiled to himself.

“You think?” He said. Blaise nodded vigorously. “Definitely. Make sure to use protection, an-“ Draco cut him off with a teasing shove. “Oh, sod off. You know what I mean.” Blaise smiled. “Then yes. I definitely think he likes you. Anyone with half a brain can see it.”

Draco couldn’t help but smile to himself at the memory of Harry softly whispering to him. His first name had never sounded so sweet. He wanted to hear it over and over again. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a shorter chapter, I know, but I hit another spot on the prompt I’m using! Since there was another chapter yesterday, I figured shorter was okay for today, especially if I get another chapter out tomorrow. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one! Things are getting a little more emotional than I wanted, but maybe I’ll play on that. Anyways, I’ll add a few character and other tags for what was introduced in this chapter. Please please please leave comments! I love to hear from you!


	4. Chapter Four

A few days later, Draco hung back after care of magical creatures. He was trying to find opportunities to apologize to everyone he felt he needed to, and now was as good as ever to give Hagrid his apology.

“Professor?” Draco called after Hagrid, jogging a bit to keep up with him. Hagrid’s chest puffed out a bit with pride, just as it had every time he’d heard Draco using his proper title recently.

“What is it you need, Malfoy?” He answered, a bit cautious, but surely much more open to talking than he would’ve been with Draco’s normal behavior. Draco started to build up enough confidence to apologize, but he was too nervous, so instead he asked “Do you need any help with that?”

What he was referring to was a pile of animal droppings dangerously close to feed for some of the animals. He’d figured that’s what Hagrid had been getting ready to do when he ended class a bit early. 

“Actually, er, yes, I’d appreciate that. Thank you.” Hagrid looked surprised and mildly happy for the help, though he was trying not to show it. Draco nodded and picked up a small mop. He wasn’t going to embarrass Hagrid by using magic when he knew the teacher couldn’t.

Hagrid seemed even more pleased at the fact that Draco was willing to put in labor to help him out. He chuckled a bit as Draco cringed at the smell of the dung. He felt really appreciated by how Draco had offered to help him with an undesirable chore.

Draco finished up, trying to hide the disgust on his face. “I hope I was able to help you out some.” Draco said, suddenly feeling shy. Hagrid grinned. “Very much so. Thank you, Malfoy.” That caused Draco to start beaming and give Hagrid a small nod. “Let me know if you need help with anything else.”

And for what felt like the millionth time recently, Draco looked up to see the golden trio standing there, staring at him with varied expressions on their faces. Hermione was trying not to look smug, and she was probably fooling most people, but Draco had learned to look for that twinkle in her eye.

Weasley was, again, disgusted. Since the three of them were together again, Draco figured he and Hermione had made up and she’d told him to keep his damn mouth shut around Draco, who’d told her how he had made up his mind to apologize to everyone he’d wronged, though leaving the reasons for doing so vague.

Potter, or Harry, though he’d made up his mind not to call him that to his face again anytime soon, was grinning ear to ear. That surprised Draco, but he was ecstatic that there seemed to be at least some trust, or just general enjoyment between the two of them.

“If you’d like to stay for tea, Malfoy, I’ll make sure this lot doesn’t bother you too much.” Hagrid said, a not-so-subtle scheming look on his face. Harry’s face suddenly went beet red, and Draco flushed at the sight of him all bothered. Why was he blushing at the prospect of him staying for tea?

“No thank you, Professor. I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Draco said carefully, making sure not to give an excuse in case they saw him walking around the grounds later, though possibly also just because he desperately wanted to stay and see how Harry liked his tea.

“Stay.” Harry said, still flushed, but the intense look in his eye made Draco want to do anything he’d ever ask of him again. He shivered a bit, oblivious to Hermione’s knowing look or Ron’s confused stares. “Okay.” He said in a soft voice, staring at Harry, and he was startled when Hagrid suddenly clapped his hands together and motioned for Draco to follow him.

Draco had never been inside Hagrid’s hut before, and it was definitely odd, but he was more distracted by politely choking down the disgusting “tea” Hagrid had so proudly given him and staring at Harry’s face.

Harry, Hermione, and the male weasel were all happily sipping Hagrid’s concoction, and Draco wasn’t sure how they managed to get it down. He could see Hermione smugly turn up her nose at his slight reactions and the smile in Harry’s eyes every time his eyebrows furrowed at the taste.

“So Malfoy, I’m sure we’re all dying to know, what caused this new attitude of yours?” Weasley asked, a sneer on his face. Draco tried not to be offended, because he knew he probably deserved it, and he was sure the weasel felt amazingly proud of himself for managing to be on the other end of the taunting.

“I guess I just wanted to try something new.” Draco said, playing with a piece of his hair. He could finally enjoy its softness from years of being oiled back into a style his father thought was presentable. 

“That’s bollocks and we all know it.” Weasley snorted, sipping tea in a gesture of victory. Draco raised one eyebrow. Harry looked uncomfortable. He’d normally be fuming at someone who had the nerve to talk to him like this, but he didn’t value Weasley’s opinion at all, and he knew he was just trying to protect his friends.

“Well, I did want to piss my dad off.” Draco stated matter-of-factly, causing Weasley to choke on his tea while Draco took a delicate, composed sip. He decided to continue as to not look like an asshole.

“I guess I’ve realized that I don’t want to spend my whole life practically worshipping someone who doesn’t deserve it.” Though he doubted Weasley knew who he was actually talking about, he saw the sad smile on Hermione’s face, and how Harry’s eyebrows furrowed.

“But I don’t need anyone’s pity.” Draco said with a shrug, trying to play it off. Weasley eyed him skeptically, and Draco was hoping that meant he’d been given a second chance. Not wanting to turn the short silence into an awkward one, he turned to Hagrid and said “Professor, this tea is really good. You must tell me where you get it.”

Hagrid beamed, and Harry and Hermione shared am impressed look at Draco’s calling him Professor, while Weasley scowled. “That’s a secret recipe, there. Been in the family for generations. These three have been drinking it for years and they still haven’t figured out what’s in it!” 

They all laughed, and Draco observed the way Harry’s eyes shone with his laughter. Weasley begrudgingly started allowing himself to have fun, possibly because of Hermione’s warning glance.

With it being a Friday, Hagrid turned a blind eye to how late it was getting, since he knew they’d manage to get back in before curfew. When it seemed all of their eyelids were drooping too much for their lies of not being tired to be believable, Hagrid sent them off with the invitation to come back extended to Draco.

As they walked out, Harry moved off from Hermione and The Weasel™ to walk with Draco. Weasley seemed to have a problem with this, which worried Draco, since he was beginning to worry that he’d hurt the trio’s friendship.

“Harry, walk back with us.” He said, eyes darting from Draco to Hermione, both of whom were starting to get visibly angry. “I’m gonna walk Draco back to his dormitories.” Harry said carefully. “I’m sure Malfoy can handle himself.” Weasley said coolly. Hermione finally reacted verbally at that comment.

“Ronald Billius Weasley! Stop being an arse! Can’t you see he’s trying? He’s trying so hard to be a better person, and you’re making him feel like shit for it! Shut up for once! If you won’t help him try to make up for all he’s done, I will!” She shouted at Weasley, starting to cry from anger.

“I knew it! I knew the two of you had something going on! Hermione, he just wants one thing! You know he’s only in it for the sex! This is all bullshit, he’s putting up a front because everyone else has finally noticed how beautiful you are, but they don’t take the time to care about your personality! He doesn’t deserve you!”

Hermione stopped, backing away from him. She was sobbing now, and Harry ran over to comfort her. Draco stood there, helpless, feeling more guilty than he ever had before. He decided he needed to intervene, to set things straight.

After walking over to Weasley as calmly as he could and trying to catch his gaze, he started. “I think you’ve acted like a right arse this entire time I’ve been trying to change. But I think that speaks for your loyalty. I know you want to protect your friends, but this isn’t the way to do it. I’m not saying you have to trust me, or even give me a chance, but you have to listen to your friends.”

Weasley tried to speak, but Draco cut him off. “There’s nothing between me and Hermione. Even if there was something one sided, she’s clearly in love with you.” His face changed from disgust to shock, his obliviousness showing clearly. “And not that it matters, but I’m gay. So there wouldn’t really be any chance of anything happening there.” 

The two boys looked shocked, Weasley right in front of Draco, and Harry, who was still comforting a sniffling Hermione. She, however, didn’t look very surprised at all. Draco wanted to chalk it up to her being too upset to pay attention, but he knew she was more observant then she let on. 

Draco hadn’t meant to come out, but he felt like he needed some hard evidence that he wasn’t interested in Hermione romantically to combat Weasley’s persistent jealousy.

“Come on, Draco. I’ll walk you back to your dormitory. I’ll leave you two alone to talk.” Harry said, seemingly pulling himself out of his shock to rescue Draco from the awkward silence caused by his confession.

They walked in silence, Harry running his hands through his hair in time with his sighs. When they were outside the Slytherin common room, Draco expected a curt goodbye and for Harry to run away, partially due to it being dangerously close to curfew and partially because of the awkwardness.

Harry stopped, put his head up against the wall, and sighed. Draco was immediately worried, since Harry had never been one to expose his worries to people. At least, not that Draco had ever seen.

“Are you okay?” Draco asked hesitantly. Harry looked gorgeous in the low light, his tan skin shimmering. He sighed again before sitting against the dungeon wall. “It’s been a weird couple of weeks.” He said, looking at Draco intensely.

“They’ve been fighting more than usual? It must suck for you, being right in the middle of it.” Draco said, sliding down to sit next to him. “No, it’s not that. They’ve always been pains in the arse.” Draco looked at him inquisitively. Harry groaned and held his head in his hands.

“It’s when you look at me like that, Draco. And when you call me by my first name. And when you laugh at something I say, and how you use all of your patience with Ron when he doesn’t deserve it. It’s you, Draco. It’s always been you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back with another chapter! I’m so sorry about how long this has taken, I’ve been going through some stuff and decided to take some time off from all forms of social media. Chapters will be coming out more regularly now for this fic and my other recent one, as well as a possible new scorbus drabble coming soon. Please leave comments! I love to hear back from my readers!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this short first chapter. Please comment! I thrive off of feedback and other contact with readers!


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